In 2016 Presley had an amazing year as she performed LIVE at a variety of Venues including VidCon 2016 on the Musical.ly Stage and the Kia Stage. She also performed at the Staples Center halftime show in front of 15,000 kids on two separate occasions this past year. Other live shows in 2016 included LA Live ESPN, Charles Schultz Theatre at Knott’s Berry Farm in front of 2000 kids, National Cheer/Dance Competition for Sharp International in Las Vegas, Orange County Fair, LA Dance Magic – Nationals and she has performed the National Anthem at the Staples Center & Honda Center for KISS (in Anaheim) on several occasions. Presley was selected as an Ambassador for Young Women with the LA Sparks WNBA this past year and attended several events promoting growth & confidence amongst her peers.
In this interview spotlight, we chat with Presley about influences, challenges, the latest project and more.
Full Q&A along with links and a stream of BFF below.
Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s)?
When I was younger I listened to everything. I really started to feel the energy and the music from Pop and R&B. So my music has streamlined into more of a POP genre.
What led you into this journey with music? And further, what drives you to push it out to the public?
My passion has always been performing, singing, and dancing. Growing up I loved the impact that music has had on me. Now that I create my own music I’m hoping that I will inspire someone else as other artist had for me. I hope that my fans will be able to relate and connect with me through my music and performances.
Who or what influences your creativity? Have your tastes in music changed over time?
Great question! It’s my everyday experiences what usually influences me the most. I have tried to write music without the experience and I seem to just sit there looking for ideas. But, when you have a personal experience or can relate to one, it just seems to flow right on to the paper or in the studio. My creativity has definitely been guided from artists such as Jessie J, Christina, Michael Jackson and Taylor Swift…to name a few.
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific with this new single “BFF”? Creatively or otherwise?
When I wrote “BFF” I wrote it during a time when I was really hurt from a friend. The friendship was literally a page or clip right out of the Mean Girls movie. I must go watch the musical!!! I found that writing it helped me realize that not everyone seems to be who they say there are. Even though I was hurt from the experience; I did get stronger and was able to write a great song that i think most of us can relate too.
What was the last song you listened to?
The last song I listened to was Demi Lovato’s “Tell Me You Love Me”.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
I prefer to listen to MP3s cause I can download them to my phone.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
Definitely Spotify or Apple Music because I can listen to everything.
Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what is the biggest challenge you face when trying to connect with or find new fans?
I think the biggest challenge is keeping the momentum going. We plan on releasing a new song and video every 4-6 weeks for the next couple of months building up to the release of my EP in March 2018. And yes it seems that social media is the way to connect with fans mostly.
Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more music?
The best place for you to find me at is on my website at www.PresleyTennant.com. There you will find all my new music, upcoming events, music videos, behind the scenes clips, photos and all of my social media links: Instagram @presleytennant, Twitter @presley_tennant, musical.ly @presley_tennan, and YouTube @ Presley Tennant.
Anything else you’d like to add before signing off?
I’m just so excited for the upcoming year we have so many things in the works including NEW MUSIC, NEW MUSIC VIDEOS, LIVE SHOWS & CONCERTS. I cannot wait to share with everyone. It’s going to be an amazing 2018!!!!! AND OF COURSE THANK YOU MIDDLE TENNESSEE MUSIC FOR HAVING ME!!
